DIY Record Production – Part 4: Equipment – by Ian Button, Oct 2009

This month I’m going to give you a run-down of the equipment I use, and possibly mention some that I wish I had. It’s probably taken a couple of years to collect everything – and I guess it should be pretty obvious that DIY recording doesn’t mean you don’t have to spend any cash! I use a mixture of budget and posh gear, as you will see………

Computer etc

I used to be PC through and through, but got a Mac when I started teaching. I made the transition pretty quickly. I got the most basic Mac Book, but with 2GB of RAM. It works fine. The only thing is there’s not a massive amount of hard disk space – and installing the whole of something like Logic would probably almost fill it right up. I use external hard drives, like the one above, for storing and transporting the recording projects around, and for the massive Logic library, most of which I don’t need. It doesn’t always work to open up the projects straight from the drive, so I usually copy the work in progress onto the actual Mac for the recording/overdubbing sessions.

Recording Software

I am currently using Logic 9 – I came to the software pretty late – Logic 8 was the first version I got in 2007, and already it had been made a lot more streamlined and user-friendly than older versions. The latest version has great new features for the live band recordist like me: an impressive amp/stomp box designer to rival the best 3rd party plugins, and a very intuitive system to edit and correct feel and timing in audio recordings e.g. drums.

I also have Cubase 5 installed, although I find I don’t use it much (after several years of working through different versions of Cubase on my PC) – that’s not to say it’s not just as good as Logic. The two packages seem to be ‘leapfrogging’ each other year by year in terms of new software and features, but essentially they do the same thing – the plugins and software instruments may vary, but for ‘live’ recording (using the software almost like tape) there’s really not a lot in it with the two current versions (perhaps Logic is a little ahead at the time of writing!)

Another package I use a lot is Reason

- not so much for programming or music creation, but for it’s great library of sounds (strings/keys etc) that I will use, via Logic & Rewire in production and mixing.

Hardware Interface etc

For this kind of multitrack recording I’ve got a Focusrite Saffire Pro 26I/O. It’s a firewire interface that gives you 8 channels of simultaneous recording (it actually has 26 ins and outs including digital etc, but in practice, for plugging mics in, you have 8 inputs). There are pre-amps on each channel so you can set levels easily, and there’s a useful software panel that comes up on screen to configure it all.

At home I’ve got simpler soundcards/interfaces which are useful for later overdubbing, and not so cumbersome/fiddly to set up.

The Edirol UA-25 was the first proper interface I got – it only records 2 channels at once, but is fine for individual overdubs.

I’ve also got an M-Audio Ozonic which is a combined 4 channel interface (only one mic input though) and a MIDI controller keyboard. Again quite useful for overdubbing and programming sessions after the initial live recording has been done.

Compressor/Preamp

My most recent, and most extravagant puchase of late is a Drawmer 1969 stereo compressor and preamp – I’d been reading a lot about recording through pre amps and channel strips etc, and I wanted to start to use that method myself. This unit seemed to be the one that suited my setup and needs the best. I wanted two channels rather than one, so that ruled out a lot of the channel strips although they all look pretty good.

I settled on the Drawmer and I’ve got it in a rack case with the Focusrite interface – when I am recording drums I can now run the overheads through one or both compressors, I can get a really good bass sound through the preamp and compress it on the way in, and for vocals too I can set up a nice compressed sound there and then and commit it to the recording early on – something I never used to do but am more confident about now.

I am also using the Drawmer at the mix/mastering stage, playing complete mixes back through it in stereo to add another bit of overall valve compression.

Speakers and headphones

For many years I used a pair of 1997 vintage Labtec computer speakers – I still have them and take them to sessions sometimes for monitoring. For a more professional approach, and at home, I have Yamaha HS-50M’s. They are self-powered and supposed to be modelled on the veteran NS-10. I think they sound nicer, and they have a few adjustment switches on the back to tailor their response for different rooms etc.

I have found them to be pretty accurate, transparent speakers for mixing etc….I seem to get consistent results and no nasty surprises when I play stuff elsewhere.

In terms of headphones, I have a couple of pairs of these Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro’s. Good frequency response, closed design, comfy to wear…..

Microphones

Let’s start with the cheapest: this is a set of Skytronic drum mics that came flight-cased, with cables, from eBay for less than two hundred quid. There’s a very respectable kick drum mic, four clip on dynamics, and two condensers for overheads.

You could spend a lot more on a set like this….or replace bits of it, as you will see I have done, but all in all this is pretty useable.

Next there’s some highly recommended all-purpose dynamic mics from Shure – the ones we’ve all seen and heard of everywhere we go, and really there’s no excuse for not having at least one of these.

The SM-58, SM-57, and the Beta 57 (a more directional version of the 57). I use the 57 in particular for snare drums, guitar amps…the other two for guitars, vocals, you name it really…..

It’s also worth mentioning here another dynamic mic I got recently – the Sennheiser E606.

It’s basically similar to a 57, but designed with miking guitar cabs in mind. It’s used a lot in live situations – you can even hang it down by its cable in front of the amp – something that’s not ideal for a conventional shaped mic like a 57 or 58.

As well as some dynamic mics, I’d also recommend adding a decent condenser mic to your setup as soon as you can. The first one I got was this Rode NT2000 – not too expensive, and does the job on vocals, acoustic guitars etc. I don’t usually take it out for live sessions, but mainly use it at home for overdubs.

I also decided I needed to get a good matched stereo pair of condenser mics, mainly to replace the Skytronic ones for drum overheads etc. I’d always heard that Oktava was a good make, and I got a pair of MK-012’s, again from eBay. They come in a case with 3 interchangable capsules (different polar patterns), and I have ended up using them for vocals, guitars, violin, piano, dulcimer etc as well as drums.

Don’t forget if you are using condensers to record vocals close-up, you will need a pop-shield.

Finally, a couple of luxury items: first is a vintage Grampian GR2/L ribbon mic – another eBay find, and packaged in a great jewellery box type case. I’ve really only used this as a single, mono drum overhead so far, but it works fine…it almost sounds compressed already (you have to be careful how you place these mics – they are fragile and DO NOT like phantom power!!).

Next there is the Electro-Voice RE20: this is the single most expensive mic I own, and my current favourite for versatility and quality combined. It’s a dynamic mic, but has a frequency response close to the best condensers (it’s used a lot in broadcasting). It’s also robust, doesn’t need a pop shield and can withstand very high sound pressure levels. So you can use it for pretty much anything – vocals, guitars & other instruments, and you can put it inside a kick drum!

Extras: Third Party Software

In addition to the basic music creation software, here’s what I use, and would recommend, in terms of third party plugins etc..

Native Instruments Guitar Rig: purists may scowl, but this (and it’s cousin Amplitube from IK Multimedia, not to mention Logic 9’s own brand amp & FX pedal simulator) is brilliant. Build your own custom amp, stack, pedals and effects. I use this from the outset in recording projects. To be able to tweak and modify guitar sounds as you go from recording to mixing is a godsend in my book. Use whatever amp simulators you can lay your hands on.

Apulsoft Aptrigga: one of the reasons I do not agonise over drum sounds at the initil recording stage, is that I know I will be triggering/replacing drum sounds later on. There have been various methods of doing this: a free plugin called KT Drum Trigger will create a MIDI note from peaks in a piece of audio, and you then assign an instrument to that MIDI track.

Recently I’ve been using Aptrigga, which fires off a sample (or layered samples) that you can blend in with your original drum sound. I will pretty much do this as a matter of course with kick and snare on everything I do, to some degree, to add more punch and clarity, or for more obvious effects. I’ve got a big library of drum sounds I can add in, from software instruments like BFD, to vintage drum machines, to acoustic kits, to hip-hop producers’ sounds.

It warmed the cockles of my heart to see that Logic 9 now has drum replacement/triggering built in as a one-click (almost) function – it works by converting audio to MIDI, and you get velocity information too which makes for very realistic triggered sound.

Izotope Ozone 4: this is a mastering plugin suite that I use a lot – inserted over my main outputs, often from an early stage in the recorings to gel the track together and get an impression of how I want it to sound in the end. I basically use the ‘Rock Master’ preset with a little tweak or two, and judge the amount of ’squash’ by using the input level so it’s not too extreme. Ozone also has presets for drums, vocals etc, which I’ve tried, but I tend to only use it on the overall mix these days.

So there you have it – I’m not saying you need to have all of this stuff by any means – hopefully it’s clear what is essential, what’s desirable, and what’s optional. Which reminds me, I said I’d say what was on my wish list.

Well, I guess…….an SSL channel strip maybe…or perhaps some kind of vintage Neumann mic – although I’d be too nervous to take it anywhere…….and some proper vintage AKGs for real Beatles drum miking – a D-12 and a D-19 please…..

Since The Rumpus was nice enough to provide us this song, we decided to give you another slice of pop perfection.

DIY Record Production – Part 3: A Method (contd.) – by Ian Button, Oct 2009

In the last article I described how I set things up on location in a rehearsal room or similar space to record a band. Now let’s talk about the actual recording…….

Recording and overdubbing
Once I’ve got everything set up, plugged in and working, I usually do a quick ‘soundcheck’ of the individual instruments, and then get the whole band to play or jam for a minute or so of test recording, just to make sure the levels are set right, everything’s coming through OK etc, and I check it back through the headphones to make sure nothing has overloaded or clipped.

At this point it’s really up to the band how to proceed. In theory, once you are set up, you can just press ‘record’ and let the band play as many songs as they like. Extradition Order once went on to play 23 in a row!; other bands like to concentrate on one tune until they are happy they’ve got a good version, then move on.

If I’m not involved or playing in the band myself, I tend to leave it to them to judge how the take has gone: they know their material better than me, and very often I won’t notice the things they are not happy with! Of course I might sometimes make suggestions on how to approach the tune, different ways to play, arrangement things, but only if I feel it’s my place to do so. If you all feel comfortable together this stuff just happens naturally and easily.

Try not to record too many takes. You end up with too much material to wade through and put together. Decide amongst yourself and the band if a take is generally good and go with it, plus another for safety if you need it. You can also record sections of the song to use as edits, don’t forget.
I hate ‘dropping in’ – it’s something that can be done, but that I try to avoid, especially when I’m recording 8 tracks at once, and because of the monitoring situation. I’d much rather roll the track back and re record a large chunk of it again, or do a whole new take.

Depending on the band, you might want to record to some kind of click or drum beat as a guide. There are obvious advantages to this in terms of editing or comping takes together, adding programmed elements later, copying, pasting or replacing sections – but it’s not always possible, or comfortable, and it can take all the life out of a performance. Don’t be afraid to let everybody play naturally – subtle changes in speed & feel can be really effective and/or hardly noticeable. Remember too that you can easily edit/correct/tighten up timings, generate tempo maps from live performances etc if you know your stuff. Don’t assume you/they need to be tied to a click.

When you’ve got your takes you can decide there and then which is the best one, and start building on that – alternatively you might need a bit of editing time to put together a definitive version of the song.

Then you can start overdubbing. You’ll be aiming to get clean, nicely separate recordings of guitars, vocals, any additional instruments etc. You’ll possibly be replacing guide tracks with more considered versions. You might just be adding a blistering solo.
This stage is where you can really start to use the recording process for more than just capturing performances – you are starting to expand the band’s sound beyond just the sum of its parts.

I’ll often record more than one overdub at a time (gtrs + keys for example, backing vocals) both to save time and to keep some band interaction. And I definitely try and get a well recorded lead vocal down at this stage, even if it ends up as a guide. This part of the process depends on how much time you’ve got left – but remember the overdubbing can pretty much be done anywhere, anytime, now that the most involved and complex part (the live backing tracks) has been done.

I try and keep the whole tracking and overdubbing process as relaxed and fun as possible – I’d hope no one feels any pressure from me as some kind of heavy handed producer: I don’t want to be that. Apparently I have only got annoyed with someone’s playing twice in the last few years in a recording situation, which isn’t bad going I suppose! I like to let people try ideas out (instruments, parts, whole songs). Some amazing stuff has come out of throwing loads of bits onto a tune and letting it all combine into beautiful chaos (we did quite a lot of this on the Extradition Order album, and on the forthcoming Awkward Silences tracks like ‘The Beasts In The Upstairs Bedroom’).
Deep Cut, on the other hand, is a bit more about precision, patterns, dissecting and orchestrating different guitar parts etc……the main thing is that ALL of it is appropriate. And brilliant fun……

This could also be a good point to talk about double tracking.
I LOVE double tracking. Really obvious double tracking. On vocals of course, but also guitars, keyboard lines, even drums.
I’ll admit, the bands I work with have mixed views on this – I understand that to some people it sounds fake and unnatural, and it doesn’t work for everybody it’s true.
I’m happy to defer/compromise (Tom Mayne!), but I will always try and get some potential double tracking material recorded at the overdubbing stage, just in case – guide vocal or guitar parts can be used behind later overdubs – backing vocals definitely should be layered up. Don’t forget stuff like this – you can manufacture the effect later but it isn’t quite the same.

So, that is pretty much it for this piece on initial recording. It may be that at the end of a session like this you’ve got something totally finished, that just needs a mix – or it may just be the basis for a much more involved production.

In the next article I will give a run down of the equipment I use and/or want, and/or would recommend for a DIY producer……

One intention I had when I started indiefy was to create posts about bands who I had recently seen. However it’s sad to say that most of the bands I go on watch are on small indie labels who don’t appear on Spotify.

Last night I finally saw punk legend (not my words) Wreckless Eric performing with his wife Amy Rigby at London’s Buffalo bar. It was enjoyable stuff with some top banter between the songs. There is not much by Wreckless Eric on Spotify but his 1978 single (I’d Would Go The) Whole Wide World appears on the soundtrack to Stranger Than Fiction. Nope I have never heard of that movie either!

Fellow Stiff Records artists Nick Lowe and Ian Drury also appeared on the single which has been acclaimed as one of the top 40 singles of the alternative era 1975–2000.

Play Whole Wide World

Official Website

Jack and Milk. Who knew?

Onomatopoeia [on‐ŏ‐mat‐ŏ‐pee‐ă], noun: he use of words that seem to imitate the sounds they refer to (whack, fizz, crackle, hiss); or any combination of words in which the sound gives the impression of echoing the sense.

Musically, The Melloncollies are anything but that. This debut is an exciting, emotional, explosive pop album that is as spirit-lifting as it is well-crafted. Musically, I said.

Lyrically, however…well, that’s another story entirely. “I’d do anything for you / get my ass kicked for you / what the hell did you ever do for me?” Simon Erani wails in “You You Yeah Yeah”, and that’s one of the more docile song titles. “Loneliest Boy”, “Misery”, “So Unhappy”, “Bullet in my Sunday”…these are not your classic love songs. I guess I should have been tipped off by the album’s title (Goodbye Cruel World) but I admit I was caught off-guard.

The Smiths could make despair sound almost ambivalent, but The Melloncollies want to rip their hearts out in full view and wave their sorrow flag under a floodlight. As Jeffrey Braha’s kick drum counts off the album opener “Misery” in Springsteen-arena fashion,  we’re momentarily fooled by the promise of “I’ll be good to you” in the chorus, because the hook is huge and Erani’s vocal so…positive. But that’s before we get to the second verse and realize the poor sap is on his knees and for the wrong reason. The second track (“Bullet In My Sunday”) is equally catchy with an 80s-ish intro reminiscent of Gene Loves Jezebel, so maybe there’s some hope here….except now the guy has seen the girl with someone else and it’s starting to look hopeless. Great – now  what?

Is this the great artistic statement about the angst of unrequited love? Of course not. Nor is it delicate adult poetry about the frailty of the human heart. But it is an infectious, bombastic joyride about getting your heart broken, getting depressed and then scraping every emotion out in overblown, dramatic fashion. If you’re drinking off a break-up, this could be your soundtrack. If you’re angry about a break-up…well, this could be your soundtrack, too.

Some will say it’s sophomoric, pedestrian and adolescent. Sure, it’s over the top (“whore” seems to be a favorite lyrical term) and there’s a wee bit of whining and pity going on. So?  Was “Beat On The Brat” mature? In other words, don’t take it so seriously, because The Melloncollies aren’t. They’re peppering the album with pop-punk DNA lifted from the last three decades; sometimes subtly, sometimes overtly. Enjoy the ride.

Ballads  like “Maybe Someday”, “All I Want” and “So Unhappy” could easily stand on their own outside the context of the album, but when every track in the song cycle is so overtly dramatic they tend to get lost in the shuffle. Instead, attention will likely lean more towards the infectious pop chestnuts like “Why Oh Why” and  ”Simple Naive Someone”, where Erani’s pleading vocals – well above average for the genre – will appeal to any power-pop fan.

Besides “You You Yeah Yeah”, the real asskicker is “Money Money Money” which sounds like Wreckless Eric mocking Bob Dylan (“could you bee-leeeve the aud-a-ci-teeeee“), a huge guitar and organ driven rave-up with a sing-along chorus…well, about that bitch who only wants your money. And although it took fifteen years, bonus points for someone finally reclaiming “melloncollies” from that overrated concept album that clogged the airwaves for an entire year - ”Let It Rain” takes the  Smashing Pumpkins formula and rips it a new one. (Even more bonus points for “Spin The Tail On The Donkey“. ..you’re going to have to pick up the CD for that one, folks).

With great production by Erani and guitarist Peter Claro, it’s an album that will justifiably get more than several spins at high volume. I count on this one resurfacing when I compile my favorites from 2009. Now excuse me while I overreact to something…and take that, Billy Corgan.

The Melloncollies on MySpace.

Listen/buy at Amazon or CD Baby.

For the 2009 version of The Believer’s annual music issue, they solicited a host of artists to submit acoustic versions of old/new songs. All are exclusive and this batch is more successful than other recent editions. Lloyd Cole, Wreckless Eric and the bonus track by newcomers Haunted Love are all worthwhile. I especially liked the Dave Wakeling song, “Never Die” but it was Phil Wilson that sent me to e-music to download a combined collection of his solo work and (C86 era band) June Brides material.

Oh there’s also a nice little essay on the Lawrence Welk show in this issue.

2009 Music IssueJune BridesJune Brides

June Brides

In honour of Willy DeVille who passed away recently, I rummaged through my music library listening to various punk and post-punk bands from his era. Many people say they don’t like punk but have a listen to this mix to hear some real gems from The Only Ones, Diodes, Monks, The Specials and one of my favourite bands, Suicide. You will be surprised how influential and fresh it all still sounds.

Click the album art or here to download. (1h18m10s)

This is an M4A file that when played through iTunes, is capable of forwarding to the next chapter (song). Look for the ‘Chapters’ tab at the top of the player when playing. These files will play in all iPods. You may also convert it to a single mp3 file within iTunes by going to the ‘Advanced’ tab at the top of the player and selecting ‘Create MP3 Version.’ You may also subscribe to this blog by clicking on the ‘Entries RSS’ and using an aggregator (feed reader, such as Google Reader) to get notifications sent to you whenever a new post is made.

Ian Button is Paul Hawkins & Thee Awkward Silences’ drummer and producer, and has played for and produced various other bands too (most notably as the guitarist in Death in Vegas but he’s also been in Thrashing Doves, played sessions for Pete Doherty, Cathy Dennis and Brandon Block and has recently produced David Cronenberg’s Wife, Extradition Order, Deep Cut, 4 or 5 Magicians and more, and is working currently on projects with Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby, and Go Kart Mozart…).  He also teaches music production courses at Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury College and Point Blank.

Over a series of articles he will talk about DIY production and home recordings.  We hope you find them useful.

DIY Record Production – Part 1:  A View – by Ian Button July 2009

Absent-mindedly scanning the 2009 Mercury Prize nominees in the paper the other morning, I noticed that one of the contenders’ biog/blurb seemed to be making a big point about their album being recorded ‘on a laptop in a shed’.

While on the one hand I’m glad to see that Sweet Billy Pilgrim are proud of their work and how it was made, I was frankly surprised that in 2009 their ‘DIY’ approach was worthy of such note (it was practically the only thing the feature mentioned about them). People have been making records ‘at home’ for many years if you think about it – from Les Paul’s early multitracking experiments in his garage, to Joe Meek’s hit-factory flat in Holloway Rd, to Daniel Johnston’s cassette recordings – artists and producers have been putting so-called ‘professional’ production values into perspective by doing it themselves. Some are being subversive, some are just being practical.

Over the years, a variety of acts have occasionally surprised/annoyed the traditionalists with releases that weren’t recorded…er… ‘properly’: Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska was recorded on a 4-track portastudio; The Cowboy Junkies’ Trinity Sessions used a single microphone and no overdubs. Ok, it was quite an expert/expensive microphone, but it made a point; Baby Bird was hailed as a bedroom genius; White Town got to No.1…the list goes on, with Bon Iver being one of the most recent artists to become famous for locking himself away in a hut with some simple equipment and coming out with an acclaimed album. I myself can vouch for the fact that much of Death In Vegas’ first album Dead Elvis was made in a bedroom, using some fairly non-standard approaches to recording guitars, editing, mixer controls way beyond safe settings etc etc.

But the point is that it’s the content on these recordings that matters – they were all accepted on their own particular terms. I’d like to think the same applies to the production I do now, for Paul’s stuff, Extradition Order, David Cronenberg’s Wife, Deep Cut and all the others (of which more in a future article).

No one took Springsteen’s album back to the shop because he hadn’t used enough tracks. Thankfully Radio 1 didn’t send Thee Awkward Silences stuff back and tell us to record it again.

Sure, there are nerds like myself who like to go on about how albums are made, and as producers/artists pride ourselves on attention to detail and doing what we think is right to make the best of the project, but the fundamental point and goal of any production, DIY or otherwise, is that we are able to make something convincing with whatever resources we have, or choose to use, and the consumer/listener either likes the result or doesn’t, but accepts it as a record alongside all the other records that have ever been made.

That attitude has always been there – I’ve had it myself for over 20 years, at the same time as working in countless projects that – for whatever reasons – had to do it the textbook (i.e. expensive, studio) way. I’m talking about making DIY ‘rock’ records (e.g. The Anthony Anderson Project), but anyone who’s been involved in making electronic/dance music will have been aware of that same production ethic for just as long.

The main difference between home and studio recording used to be sound quality (tape width, number of tracks etc). That issue is no longer there. Today’s technology and the accessibility of recording/production tools means it’s even more feasible to make a musical product independently/at home/cheaply/in any style, and send it out there into the big wide world and no one will know (or care) how you recorded it – they will judge it, of course, but it will be about how good your lyrics/chorus/haircut/bandname are, not your mics or reverb settings or whether you used Protools (thousands of pounds) or Audacity (free). There’s another issue here too: the current music consumer ethic and sales trends are going to mean that expensive recordings won’t make any sense for any but the most massive artists. It’s going to be no bad thing for us all to learn how to create our art quickly, cheaply and realistically.

Basically, the same thing applies to production as it does to playing/writing/performing – if you are confident about what you can do, and honest about what you can’t do, you will find a sound, an approach, and a way of working that will fit.

In the next article I’m going to go into a bit more detail about how I record Paul’s and all the other bands’ stuff, with a few suggestions for what you are going to need if you want to get started yourself.

Part Two

Back in the days of dinosaurs and vinyl LPs, record labels used to put out “samplers,” full albums with a track each from their top artists and usually budget priced.  In 1976, the pioneering punk/New Wave label Stiff Records came on to the scene and they put out an 11-song sampler LP in early 1977 to promote the first artists they signed.

Elvis Costello

A Bunch of Stiff Records now sounds prescient, because the Stiff roster included Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds, Wreckless Eric, Graham Parker, the Tyla Gang and this guy named Elvis Costello – who would all become the most influential U.K. rockers of the era.  Perhaps the most ear-catching track on the album, Elvis’ “Less Than Zero” was one of three songs on the LP that had been issued as singles.  This version is slightly different than the track that appears on My Aim Is True.

Stiff also had, for some reason, Motörhead – the heavy metal rockers were formed in 1975 by Lemmy Kilmister, formerly a roadie for Jimi Hendrix.  Like a few of the early Stiff Records artists, they were under contract to United Artists when they cut sides for Stiff so there was a bit of a legal tangle that prevented some of this music, like the single “White Line Fever”, from seeing the light of day until years later.

Dave Edmunds checks in with a revved-up Chuck Berry cover, “Jo Jo Gunne,” and Edmunds produces a mysterious artist, Jill Read, who sings “Maybe.”  The story was that she was reclusive, blah blah, and it’s most likely Edmunds (or even Nick Lowe) doing the singing with some studio effects (or some extra tight underwear) to get that voice a little higher.

Lowe himself did a self-serving track, “I Love My Label,” and produced a number of others, including the bloozy instrumental “Jump For Joy” by a group called Stones Masonry.  That was actually a pub-rock supergroup – with players from a number of groups.  The album also had a “mystery” (unlisted) track, a speedy “Back to Schooldays” by Graham Parker & the Rumour.

Stiff Records would of course go on to introduce a number of artists who defined the New Wave movement – the Pogues, Madness, Ian Dury & the Blockheads, Wreckless Eric, Devo, Tracey Ullman, the Plasmatics, Rachel Sweet and many others.

MP3: “Jo Jo Gunne” by Dave Edmunds

MP3: “Less Than Zero” by Elvis Costello

MP3: “Maybe” by Jill Read

MP3: “Jump For Joy” by Stones Masonry

MP3: “White Line Fever” by Motörhead

Stiff Records official website

“Vildgässens flykt gick över Grängesbergs väldiga gruvfält, över de stora anläggningarna vid Ludvika, över Ulvshyttans järnverk och Grängshammars gamla nedlagda bruk”

01. Paul Engemann – Scarface (Push it to the limit)
02. Wreckless Eric – Duvet fever
03. XTC – Radios in motion
04. Bel Canto – Blank sheets
05.  Yarbrough & Peoples – Don’t stop the music
06. The Jam – Stoned out of my mind
07. Marc Almond – Tears run rings
08. Demis Roussos – For ever and ever
09. New York Dolls – (There’s gonna be a) Showdown
10. Sparks – Reinforcements
11. Electronic – Disappointed (7″ mix)

Wreckless Eric (Eric Goulden), British musician

So, I’ve been rather busy with this paper I’m trying to set up and write the past few days; not to mention the basketball I was doing this weekend. So, I apologize for not updating much lately. I’ll work on it in the coming days, especially after I turn this paper in.

I’ll keep it simple, here are five new songs to check out for the week! I hope you all enjoy!

Green Day – Whatshername (2004): I think alot of people probably have heard this song at some point as it’s the final track on Green Day’s comeback album American Idiot. Regardless, I do think it’s underrated and is my personal favorite track on the album. I think alot of us have a “Whatshername/Whatshisname” in our lives. At least I hope I’m not the only one!

The Kooks – Jackie Big Tits (2006): Don’t let the name fool you. This song is pretty much as silly as the title. But it’s actually a very snappy pop song by one of one of the better bands out there, even if they’re relatively unknown.

Maria Mena – You’re The Only One (2004): This singer was introduced to me by a friend on Palace/Phalanx. It’s a chat server of sorts. I really like her voice. This is a song that stands out to me, though. Not only is it my and my Palace friend’s favorite by her, but the lyrics are pretty funny if you listen to them. Yes, she really does say what you think she’s saying. I included a video with the lyrics so you could follow along if you wanted. There’s a line in the third verse that’s laugh out loud funny. It doesn’t hurt that Ms Mena is pretty damn hot, too.

She & Him – Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? (2008): Why yes, that IS Zooey Deschanel singing. And yes, I do have a celebrity crush on her, but that has no barring on why this song is here. I found this band in the past couple of days. They really don’t sound like anyone else out there currently and I like it. This song was on Rolling Stone’s top 100 songs of 2008 list as well.

Wreckless Eric – Whole Wide World (1977): Oh, an older song on here. This is a nice little song for the romantics in all of us. I first heard while watching Stranger Than Fiction, a quirky (an underrated) Will Ferrell dramedy. He performs it at one point. It’s also been covered by many acts including Elvis Costello, The Monkees and The Proclaimers. It actually does sound like something Costello would do…and I’ll get to The Proclaimers at some point in the future. Also note that the song is only about three minutes. The feed above goes for four minutes (a full minute of nothing) for reasons I don’t know.

Those are the songs for the week. Next week I’ll probably have a different format. It’ll definitely be another five songs, though. I’ll try to post something else in the following days. The sooner I finish that damn paper, the happier I’ll be!

Before I go, I just wanted to send a shout out to my twitter friend, Stevie Hart who turns 24 today! I’d say she doesn’t look a day over 19, but that’s just my opinion. She’s an awesome and funny chick that dabbles in art on her spare time. I’d follow her if I were you.

ANYway, happy birthday, Stevie! I got Sir Paul McCartney here to sing to you for just such an occasion. Don’t ask me how I got him to do it, I had to call in some major favors! Ha!

- Chris Lejarzar

As you may (or may not) know I have a great love for synchronicity – there is something deeply satisfying about recognizing the inexplicable confluence of events that permeate my daily existence. I am sure I miss a lot of them. And I know that I only see a lot of them in hindsight, which may (or may not) be cheating. Regardless – I dig the flow.

I also am truly optimistic about the potential for people to meet up with the people they are meant to flow with. It goes with digging the flow.

Putting these two things together, (that would be synchronicity and the someone-is-out-their belief) I found the  program “Somewhere out there” on This American Life perfectly prescient.

Your appreciation of the program will depend a lot on where you come down on the debate about the idea of Soul Mates. Are you a believer? The idea of there being one person out there for you… well, frankly it is a little depressing. Like what if the day you were supposed to meet them you wanted to sleep in or you had to work or pick up your dry cleaning or something? That would suck. On the other hand, the idea that anything (one) goes is also a little depressing along the lines of: “Let’s see, shall I have a grande cappuccino or a latte or spend the rest of my life with you? I just cannot decide.”

Still, the romance behind the notion that there is someone entirely suitable for you is enticing. I certainly have seen my share of examples of people who I know are simply perfect for each other. It gives one pause. The physicists in the TAL program wanted to work out the mathematical probability that they would find girlfriends and what the chances were that there was more than one person in the world for them. Statistically speaking, the conclusion is good or bad, again depending on where you fall on the debate of numerical possibilities versus singular perfection. I am an unusual (and unexpected) romantic: I find the science and statistical reasoning enticing. That there are both multiple possibilities and the a limited potential number of compatible options is the perfect balance. If one does not find their destiny – perhaps their density will suffice.

I think I can best conceptualize this situation by likening it to shoes. I mean, there are a lot of great shoes out there… but do I have only one Sole Mate? I see shoes that I can really appreciate, but I know I would never wear. I see shoes that make me cringe. I see shoes with lots of potential. I see shoes that I cannot believe anyone ever decided to wear, but there they are marching down the street… someone loves them. But I can’t have all the shoes… so I have to choose. And how best to do this? Consider the shoes you like best. They suit you. They are adaptable for many occasions. They complement you and your style. They are aesthetically pleasing to you. They are reliable. They are comfortable. They make you feel good when you wear them. They do not hurt you. They do not make you try to be something you are not. They are not a one-time thing (not that we haven’t all tried that pair on too.) At the end of the day, the most important thing is know yourself and what shoes will work the best for you.

So, is there only one pair of shoes out there for me? I hardly think that is true [those of you who have seen my closet know this to be empirically false.] However, there is certainly a better pair for me among the milieu. And rather than lamenting the possibility of not finding the perfect pair, I relish in the joy of the wide variety out there from which to choose.

Because the perfect fit might be out there in the most unexpected place.

When I was a young boy
My mama said to me
There’s only one girl in the world for you
And she probably lives in Tahiti

I’d go the whole wide world
I’d go the whole wide world
Just to find her

~The Monkees

This is the first post in a new series we’re calling “Throwback Thursday.” It’s my reaction to the rat race of music blogs that rush out in an attempt to be the first to post the (awesome) new Yeah Yeah Yeah’s single, or the video of it on SNL. Not saying that someone doesn’t need to be doing it, just that I don’t need to be. So if you’re interested, take the time with me this Thursday to slow it down and look back, but not too far.

It was while getting a haircut a couple of weeks ago, from the same woman who styled my “do” since age 6. No kidding, probably the only person I trust with a scissors. I’m not using this to describe a haircut fetish, but rather to describe the time capsule that this haircut represents.

Every time I go to her house she is listening to the same radio station, which plays the same music today as it did when I was learning what music was in 1995. “Meet Virginia,” “Semi-Charmed Life,” “You Were Meant for Me” and anything Goo Goo Dolls play on repeat. In fairness to myself, my first two music purchases ever were Mellon Collie and Nevermind, but I’m shocked to realize that this 90’s pop music is still around and collecting royalties. Obviously Nirvana and The Pumpkins have music that will endure over time, but who knew knows that this crap is still in your local radio station’s daily playlist?

To honor the non-crap (of at least two years ago) I have two songs:

First, something about tax day. If you’ve seen Stranger Than Fiction you’ll understand the connection.
Wreckless Eric – Whole Wide World (1978)

And now, something about raspy voices and dark hair.

The predictable, yet exciting Death Race and,

Jolene, Cake’s finest song ever. Some of my favorite lyrics, and probably the best guitar rhythms by a band you forgot about some point during college.

Cake – Jolene (1994)

Well Jolene unlocked the thick, breezeway door,
Like she’d done one hundred times before.
Jolene smoothed her dark hair in the mirror.
She folded the towel carefully and put it back in place.

Yeah I want to pull you down into bed.
I want to cast your face in lead.
Well every time I pull you close,
Push my face into your hair,
Cream rinse and tobacco smoke,
That sickly scent is always, always there.

Wreckless Eric performing “Whole Wide World” with Amy Rigby.

Sabe quando você tem certeza que está sendo vítima de uma pegadinha? Pois é, ultimamente ando procurando a câmera escondida. Praticamente um Harold Crick.

Wreckless Eric – Whole wide world

When I was a young boy, my momma she said to me:
There’s only one girl in the world for you
And she probably lives in Tahiti
Or maybe in the Bahamas
Where the Caribbean sea is blue
Weepin away in the tropical night
Because nobody’s told her about you

Na real eu tenho mixed feelings sobre esse filme. Quando vi no cinema não gostei, mas esses dias vi de novo e achei fofo, principalmente essa cena – e, claro, a trilha sonora!

Well it’s headed that way…almost time to compile my year-end list. Overall, it seems to have been a low-key year for new stuff. Some really great stuff, but a lot of just good stuff. Perhaps this is due to the amount of music I listen to, I get lost and cannot really distinguish what every single release is providing. I guess that’s how it goes. Well, look for the list here sometime before January 1. I may have another set of review before then, but you don’t really care anyway, right?

Raphael Saadiq – The Way I See It – *** – Another act reaching back to the soul and R&B of the 60’s, this album seems to be a bit more authentic, at least, it doesn’t seem like it is just painting this retro pastiche in order to fit this mold, but is using it to build songs that seem both modern and retro.

Rivers Cuomo – Alone II: The Home Recordings – *** – A nice collection of songs, both sincere and just weird, make you see just how interesting a song writer Rivers is. It also kind of exposes how different the songwriting is today. There’s something special in the way he was writing songs in those early years.

Jesse Malin – On Your Sleeve – *** – Covers record, fairly good, a lot of songs I have never heard of, some I have heard bits of. I find that the record does expose more of his vocal style which by the end gets a bit annoying.

Dick Prall – Weightless – **1/2 – I expected this to be a lot better, based on the clips I heard, but it disappointed in a variety of ways. It was a bit too slow for my tastes, and I much preferred his earlier release Fizzlebuzzie, which I heard a few days after this one.

Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigby – Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigby – *** – Great album from these two. I am not really familiar with Amy Rigby, but it seems that she and Eric fit together well in this context. It kind of brings new light to the Wreckless Eric sound.

Well it’s headed that way…almost time to compile my year-end list. Overall, it seems to have been a low-key year for new stuff. Some really great stuff, but a lot of just good stuff. Perhaps this is due to the amount of music I listen to, I get lost and cannot really distinguish what every single release is providing. I guess that’s how it goes. Well, look for the list here sometime before January 1. I may have another set of review before then, but you don’t really care anyway, right?

Raphael Saadiq – The Way I See It – *** – Another act reaching back to the soul and R&B of the 60’s, this album seems to be a bit more authentic, at least, it doesn’t seem like it is just painting this retro pastiche in order to fit this mold, but is using it to build songs that seem both modern and retro.

Rivers Cuomo – Alone II: The Home Recordings – *** – A nice collection of songs, both sincere and just weird, make you see just how interesting a song writer Rivers is. It also kind of exposes how different the songwriting is today. There’s something special in the way he was writing songs in those early years.

Jesse Malin – On Your Sleeve – *** – Covers record, fairly good, a lot of songs I have never heard of, some I have heard bits of. I find that the record does expose more of his vocal style which by the end gets a bit annoying.

Dick Prall – Weightless – **1/2 – I expected this to be a lot better, based on the clips I heard, but it disappointed in a variety of ways. It was a bit too slow for my tastes, and I much preferred his earlier release Fizzlebuzzie, which I heard a few days after this one.

Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigby – Wreckless Eric and Amy Rigby – *** – Great album from these two. I am not really familiar with Amy Rigby, but it seems that she and Eric fit together well in this context. It kind of brings new light to the Wreckless Eric sound.